Arc 8: Original Weapon Creation Spoiler: Chapter 71: The Ruined Inner Sanctum Firstly, we all landed safely. Even without Storm Magic, something slowed our descent. Secondly... [Ow! What was that for?] "Don't do that suddenly next time. A sudden fall is bad for my heart." [You don't even look rattled! What 'bad for my heart'! Nonsense!] "Tch, petty. So, we're here?" [Yes. This is the Inner Sanctum. The place where the Akashic Records rest.] Disappointing. It truly turned out to be nothing more than a pedestal and a book. *Bonk* [Ow! What was that for now?!] "Return my expectations. I was expecting some Endgame Boss Room material when you said Inner Sanctum, but this place is utterly trashed. One crumbling stone pedestal and one dusty old book." [......] I seemed to have touched on a sore subject, judging from that silence. It's a bit difficult to pull off, but I managed to figure out if Rufilia is going to talk about a serious issue, by paying attention to her pauses. It sounds ridiculous, but the longer she pauses, the more serious a matter is, usually. She doesn't know that I know, so I use these observations to my advantage most of the time. [......] That pause lasted 6 milliseconds more than the last time she talked about a serious issue, which was regarding the Tome of the Judge. Therefore, this issue is going to be almost 6 times more serious, then? And don't laugh, I'm being perfectly serious here. [...It is as you have said. The Inner Sanctum doesn't live up to it's name currently.] With extra emphasis on the word 'currently', I see. "And you're now going to say something along the lines of [However, the Library's Inner Sanctum was much more glorious in the past...], right?" [Indeed, the Library's Inner Sanctum was much more glorious in---Ehhh?! How did you know that was what I was going to say?] Took you long enough to react to that. Also, with the length of time we've spent interacting, I can safely say that I would deserve death, had I not have been able to predict that. "Do continue. What happened? Did some kind of epic Holy versus Darkness Battle occur which split apart everything in existence, and the Library was involved somehow? Is that why your creator is missing, and this Inner Sanctum is in this poor condition right now?" [Don't make this sound like some third-rate novel plot!...Well, much of what you said is true, though, except that what caused this place to become barren wasn't due to a battle. It was because the Library had been struggling to keep the worlds apart.] "Huh? Could you explain that to me again, this time in English, if you don't mind? I think my brain failed to register there for a few moments." Tch, she isn't making a wry smile like usual. I guess this much be truly a significant matter for her. In that case, for all the times she has helped me, all the occasions that she has stepped in to clear up my messes...Allow me to respond in kind, friend. "Jokes aside, what do you mean, keep the worlds apart? Aren't most worlds already disconnected from one another? I mean, only select few can create portals to other worlds, and common people won't even be able to handle the strain of world crossing. So what's with the effort to keep worlds apart?" [It's not what you're thinking of, Mika. I believe humans have a similar theory for this; they called it Schrödinger's Cat.] Huh. That name brings up memories of weekend afternoons, when I used to read up about various different scientific phenomenon...Schrödinger's Cat; the cat that was both living and dead at the same time. It gave me quite a headache when I tried to process it back then. "The cat could be either living or dead, depending on whether the Geiger counter detected radiation or not, which would break open a tube of dangerous chemicals, which would then kill the cat if radiation happened to be present...That's the Schrödinger's Cat Theory, but how does it relate to this?" [It works like this. Let's use Earth as an example. Your former world was one advanced in science, right?] "Yep." [Well, that's the path it went, but there were also several other possibilities that represent what 'could have'. For instance, if they advanced down the path of magic, instead of science. Or if they had developed both.] Oh, no. Something tell me that I'm not going to like this, not one bit. My slacker instincts are screaming at impending danger. "And...?" [Because these other worlds don't just exist 'in theory', you see. They actually exist, and occupy the same plane of existence.] "And I should know this because...?" [Because you are the sole person responsible for correcting any problems caused by this phenomenon, such as preventing, say, a Earthling from the Magic World from ending up in the Science World. It's your job.] I wonder if it's too late to pretend that I've not heard a single word? [Mika, there's only one exit out of here, and that's my magic. Portals cannot be created here.] "Tch! Why is it my job, anyway? I thought my job as the Librarian only required me to guard this place, and ensure that the Akashic Records are kept safe?" [That would have been all you were required to do, if you had been a regular Librarian. However, you have another identity, which made this task available for you.] ...I knew this was going to come back and bite me eventually... [You know perfectly what I'm talking about, don't you? Master of Time and Space, Angel of the Dusk, Belphegor. This is your job, and yours alone.] That's a disastrous conclusion! How am I ever going to find time for slacking off if I take that job?! I'm leaving, bye! "...Origin Magic, Activate! |Wings of the Ascended|!" It's a race from here. If Rufilia manages to seal off this space before I reach the exit, then I'm screwed. Sorry about this, friend, but for the sake of my slacking... "Cover the world in a voiceless shroud! True Silence!" [Mika, did you seriously think I wouldn't have prepared any countermeasures, after last time? |Dimension Seal|.] Damn it, you're not supposed to grow so smart so suddenly! At least let me slack off for 20 more chapters! "...Fineeeeee, I'll start work once I finish getting the beastkin settled in, more or less." I suppose this is how most students feel like when it's the final day of their holidays, and they haven't done a single sheet of their homework, which results in intense last-minute work. It's horrible. But again, it is high time that I get my work done. Can't freeload off Rufilia forever. "Wait a minute...Rufi, you talked so much and all that, but you still haven't shown me the gauntlets like I asked!" [Eh?! Uh, that's...] She's retreating? Then, that whole thing about the gauntlets was a big, fat lie? "Rufi......I think you and I need another one of those 'private talks', don't you agree?" [Eeeeeeeeeek! Anything but that!] "Get back here." I wonder how long this peace lasts. Hopefully, forever. Spoiler: Chapter 72: Original Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi "Caught you." [Let go of me!] "Sorry, no dice." Halfway through, it changed from Rufilia chasing after me to get my work complete, to me chasing her down. The original atmosphere also seemed to have died away somewhere. "So, Rufi. When I asked you to show me the gauntlets, you ran." There was no way the gauntlets were stored in the Inner Sanctum. After all, there was a saviour lack of secret compartments in that room. Space Magic told me that much. [Umm...well...] "They aren't actually there, are they?" [...Yes.] *Bonk* [Ouch!] "I hate liars. Don't do that again." Hmm? I seem to recall that most of the time, it was me lying to get what I needed, so it might be slightly ironic, for me, of all people, to tell Rufilia to stop lying. Wait, no, what I did was to hide some parts of the truth; I never lied. Hid the truth about Jessica's father being killed by me? Check. Hid the truth about Akane being a natural born Werewolf? Check. Hid the truth about me being alive, in order to get Claire on my side? Check. ...I'm actually the lowest grade of trash that could exist, am I not? To expect others not to lie, when I myself is withholding parts of the truth, all for my own benefit. But again, I care not for how others view me. Reputation can be earned back, but once you're dead, you're dead. "Let me guess, the gauntlets used to be here. And then you lost them somehow or another." [They weren't lost! They just broke...] ...Okay, let me get this straight. Something of beyond Legendary quality broke. Are you kidding me? "And what happened to the pieces?" [Vaporized. It's all gone.] Seriously? "Then, why did you tell me that you were going to show those gauntlets to me?" I had expected something like that, because there is no way anyone would be able to just get a piece of powerful equipment, without doing something, but this is ridiculous. You can't just tell me about something, and then tell me later that it doesn't exist. [I already showed them to you.] "Huh?" Pardon me, my mind blanked out there for a second. What did you say? [The Inner Sanctum, Mika. The air.] ...Oh, I get it now. The gauntlets were incorporeal; they didn't exist substantially. They broke long ago, similar to how mine broke, but instead of completely disappearing--- "---Both reverted to raw, pure elemental energy, and entered the Inner Sanctum, where they currently reside." [Correct.] "And to fix them, and get them back to their original shape, I'm going to need something of extreme rarity. No, strike that, I'm going to need several somethings of extreme rarity, don't I." [Yes.] Oh, for goodness sake...This entire situation screams WORK. If possible, I want very little relation to it, but I already know this is somehow going to end up being part of my problem, again. "Please tell me that you know how to repair them, and the only reason you haven't done so is because you needed to guard the Library before the Librarian, which is me, came here." [Yes, I know where to get the materials.] Good. With that kind of intel in hand, all I have to do is to rush in, grab the necessary supplies, and rush back out. No one will be harmed, and I'll have more time to slack off. Win-win situation right there. "Perfect. Tell me where the materials are, and I'll go get them immediately---" [Um, Mika.] ---No, don't tell me. I don't want to hear another piece of bad news. Stop. [The thing is, those components can only be found across different worlds, and there's pretty much one monster guarding each component. They're all pretty strong, too.] "...I totally needed to know that, Rufilia. Gee, thanks a lot." I need those parts to forge a weapon, or I can't fight properly. But because I don't have weapons, I can't fight them. No fighting equates to no parts, which means no gauntlets. I get that this is the Paradoxical Library, but please exempt me from experiencing paradoxes. After all, being a Librarian grants me access to some rights. ...I am entitled to my own rights, right? [This is troubling for me, too...] Ah, right. If I can't fight effectively, it'll compromise my ability to guard this place. Rufilia is realistic, and I like it. It's much better to be realistic and open, than to pretend and engage in plots and backhanded measures. "Don't worry. I'll figure out something." Rufilia gaped at me, shock apparent in her round amber eyes. She then proceeded to approach me, placing one of her hands on my forehead. [...Good. You aren't having a fever.] "......." *Bonk!* [Ouch!] "I have a rare moment of responsibility, and you had to mock me for it. Really, Rufi. I thought we were friends." [Th-That was not my fault! You were completely out of character for a moment there, so it was natural that I thought you had some kind of illness!] "So when I feel like actually doing work, I'm not right in the head. Wow, I'm hurt." [That's not what I meant!] "It's okay, after all, I'm just a damnable Lunar Fenrir who can't get stuff done without mass destruction..." [Oi! Don't get depressed! That's not like you!] Success. Baited, hooked, and caught. "Haha, I was just joking. I wanted to see how much you cared for me, Rufi. And now, I can tell that you care a lot. I'm glad." Now, it was her turn to be speechless. [...Y-You...You little...] *Pomf* "Ouch." I suppose I should play nice, just to be fair. Although, she doesn't look satisfied for some reason. [You barely got hurt.] "Now now, that didn't even tickle. Don't get too greedy, Rufi." [Tch.] If nothing else, I pride myself on being extremely frank. I try not to sugar-coat my words. "Say, Rufi. I don't have to get every single material to re-forge the gauntlets, right?" [Huh? Yeah. You only need one material to forge the frames of those gauntlets. The other materials are there to make it even stronger.] Okay, that makes it a lot simpler. [The first material...Okay, found it. You need to get the raw Rubiconium ore to create the base for the original Amaterasu. I'll open a portal now to the world that it can be found in now.] Rubiconium? Never heard of that metal, either in science or in anime. Must be some kind of unique metal. "I see. In that case, I'll be going right now. Take care of the Library, Rufi." A portal opened on the far side of the Main Hall, and I walked through it without hesitation, wondering if the grass would be greener on the other side. Spoiler: Chapter 73: Seeking the First Material Somebody once said this: "I came, I saw, and I conquered." I personally have no desire to conquer anything, because conquering also equated to ruling. Having to rule something means taking responsibility for everything that lives there. That is already too much responsibility for someone like me, who has a pretty lax standard of existing, to handle. Still, the feeling of stepping into a new world---It's exhilarating. The feeling of entirely different winds, the musty smell of death in the air, the crunching of bones beneath my feet...wait, bones? "Oh, wow. This is such a cheery place...Bones, miasma, and the general foul smell of black magic. If it was night time right now, this would be a perfect welcoming." *Creak* Oops, shouldn't have said that aloud. It seems like the welcoming committee is here to greet me. And, speaking of standards...It seems that the majority are simply skeletons. Cannon Fodder. "Oh, my." You know, even if my fighting strength went down, it's not at the point where I can't destroy skeletons, for your information. But I get the gist of it. No matter how it seems like, this isn't a game. Collecting overpowered materials to forge some godly equipment may sound like a quest that came out of an MMORPG, but the fact stands that this is reality. Any treasure guardians here have real emotions and thinking processes, not just some chunks of computer coding. Underestimating their ability to think would be an extremely fatal decision. But, it's also true that the reverse works as well. Since they are capable of thinking, that means they are liable to getting tricked. "You see, Hotori, the fact is that no one is perfect---" Oh, right. Almost forgot that Hotori already went back to her own time. Tch. I must have looked extremely idiotic there, speaking to thin air while surrounded by skeletons. Well, assuming someone is watching, it will be extremely unwise to reveal to much of my fighting style. In that case, I should take this opportunity to try out several types of magic. "Let's begin. I think this will be a really one-sided match, but do take care of me." ...... Well, that wasn't so bad. I managed to raise my mana efficiency by combining Space Magic with Storm Magic. Although, this newly-created spell is only effective against obvious weak points, that I have to admit. Skeletons that rise from the usage of necromancy magic are essentially walking bones held together by a lump of dark energy. Because they don't 'live', per se, they aren't scared of pain. You could knock down a skeleton ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, even, but if you don't use impact-based weapons such as hammer and the like, they'll keep getting back up. Of course, the bones will eventually shatter from the damage piling up, but that way of fighting is very cumbersome. Having a battle of attrition with a skeleton? Ha. You tell me, who's going to run out of stamina first? On the contrary, if you go for the obvious weak point, they fall rather easily. Using |Black Hole| with |Storm Lance| as aiming-assist worked out rather well in precision bursts, accurately homing in on the dark energy clumps that held the skeletons together. Which explained why I was standing atop a mountain of bones, like some stereotypical villain, right now. "Well, there goes the fodder. What's next? The tutorial boss?" But nothing happened. "Huh. So, rather than being the prelude so some Boss fight, those were naturally spawned fodder? I suppose that makes sense." *Growl* Which reminds me, I haven't had lunch, so...oh, no. I forgot to bring anything along. No supplies, no food, and definitely no tent. "Not good...I'm hungry." There's plenty of bones around, you say? Do I look like a vulture to you? Bone marrow doesn't attract me in the slightest. Plus, even if I were, I doubt these old bones would have any in them. It's true that lupines associate closely with canines, but even though I'm part wolf, it doesn't make me a dog. "Fumu...I hope there's a village nearby." ...... "Uwah, thanks for the meal." Having wandered around the place for nearly 2 hours, I stumbled upon a village. Sometimes, being bad with directions can be a blessing in disguise. Of course, that has nothing to do with me being a hopeless directionally-challenged idiot. Absolutely no relation at all. I looked down on the orc leg which I was chewing on. Delicious. There's this fine velvety texture, which gives way to a crispy second layer, when you bite into it. Not to mention, there's plenty of meat on a single leg of orc. Nice and filling. "I want more." A pity, however, that the leg of orc in my hands was already the last piece of orc. I ripped off the remaining morsel of meat, and tossed it aside. *Bonk* "A good meal precedes a good sleep. Time to nap." You know those items they always keep in stock in fantasy worlds, the type that can chase away monsters? The item that allows adventurers to get proper rest? I didn't have any. Just to clarify, I was currently in an orc village, which can roughly give an idea of just how safe my surroundings were. I could make some thanks to the cheat ability of 《Azrael》, but it's a giant pain in the neck. Also, it's disadvantageous for me. [Tenacity] guards me against fatal strikes, so I won't be finished off by any 'instant-kill' attacks. Meanwhile, [Freedom] prevents status effects from affecting me. Also, I really don't think there are any monsters out there that are capable of emptying out my hitpoints in a single strike; with the exception of Rufilia's cooking, of course. Worst case scenario, I'll get rudely awoken by a bunch of monsters with no manners, which would contribute to my experience bar, and best case scenario, I meet more orcs. Which one did you think I'll pick? "A bed of grass feels quite good, too~ Nature surely does give great benefits to those that can find it's gifts." [Host has increased it's affinity with nature. Plant, Earth, and Life Magic systems have been improved.] What's with the 'it'? Don't tell me that even the system got confused by my gender? Whatever. This proves my point that nature is good. To give my magic a boost after I appreciated it slightly...That's not the kind of generousity one can experience usually, even if they are on extremely close terms with the World. Wait, I suppose I should be explaining what "The World" is, and what role it plays, don't I. Well... That can wait until tomorrow; I'm dead tired right now, so those matters can be taken into consideration tomorrow. Spoiler: Chapter 74: Travel Companion *Yawn* A good sleep is bliss, that's for sure. And when one has access to pan-fried steak with boiled eggs, that enjoyment becomes even bigger. "Mhm...Now if only I had seasoning and condiments..." Wyvern eggs taste great when soft boiled, but they could do with a slight bit of salt. What a pity. Even if I hunted down wyverns for their eggs again, the taste will never be the same. That reminds me, about the [World]. I owe an explanation to people about how it works, don't I? Can't be helped, then. I would have told people to read through the Encyclopaedia that Rufilia compiled, but I'm the only one who has that. More importantly... ...I'm probably one of the rare few that can understand the scratches filling the pages. Because to Rufilia, said scratches seem to be perfectly readable words. Someone could use a lot of work on their penmanship, that's for sure. But that's enough small talk for now. "Now that I think about it, isn't this the first time I've actually had to explain something in a concise manner? How do I do this kind of thing again? Something about keeping it clear and straightforward?" Here goes nothing, then. Basically, every world has it's own set of laws. The World is 'alive', so to speak. It generally stays out of the everyday affairs, but it does keep track of everything that happens. Most Worlds are absurdly powerful, but they are also correspondingly apathetic, as a result. It's like how a human would react, if an ant decides to crawl onto his arm. Too tiny and insignificant to care about. It might already have been quite obvious, but the Library is also a World. Being it's Librarian, the Library backs me up when I'm in it's home ground; boosting my combat abilities. In terms of authority, I have the most. And now, the issue of last night. I was rewarded with a boost to three different types of magic, simply by appreciating nature. That kind of thing is highly unheard of; in fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it never happens. Nature must have been quite disregarded around these parts. To a ridiculous extent, too. But to be honest, I am second-guessing myself, as well. In that case, why not hear it from the one responsible? "You can stop observing me from afar and show up, already; I don't bite. Well, not yet, anyways. I don't appreciate being stalked." [!!!] "Honestly, I have no idea how your thought processes moved. Staying still within five metres of an Ancient Half-Wolf? Did you actually think that nobody would detect you?" [...Please help.] That was really direct. "Help? With?" This method of talking pleases me for some reason. Perhaps it is the simplicity. [Issues, troubled.] "I see. That's why you gave me such a gift beforehand, huh?" *Nod* "I see. What's your request?" [!!! Will help?] Woah, calm down there for a second; I don't recall agreeing. Because, for all I know, she might end up wanting me to slay dragons or something. It's not that difficult, but it's certainly annoying. Melee fighters such as myself find it really difficult to hit flying targets, unless magic is added to the equation. Although, the potential rewards are tempting me quite a lot...Well, if it coincides with my current task, then why not? "Depending on what you want me to do, that is." [Eliminate.] He---She---It pointed to the far distance. Towards a towering black castle with gleaming spires. "Alright then." Bingo. My objective just so happens to be in that castle. |Say, Mika, can you hear me?| |Loud and clear, Rufi. What is it?| |I forgot to tell you, but that castle you're looking for is a Dungeon. Your target is the Dungeon Master.| |Oh? That's interesting. A sentient Dungeon Master! I wonder how big it's treasure hoard is?| |You're not here to loot...Okay, maybe you are, but the other treasures aren't your main objective...| |Says the one that's running a program to detect every single treasure in the castle right now.| |Wha---No such thing!| Something shattered on the other end. It sounded extremely expensive, too. |Don't get defensive, haha. It's understandable to want supplies to restore the Library, you know.| |...Just watch yourself. Dungeon Masters aren't that easy to take care of, you know? For one, they have the terrain advantage.| |I understand. Thanks.| The telepathic connection shut off. Terrain advantage. Pfft. What's the use of it if the World disapproves? I got ready to go...and a little hand tugged at my sleeves. [Dangerous to go alone.] Oh, my. "I don't need any burdens, you know." [Not burden. Strong.] The little person...You know what? I'll just call it the earth fairy from now on. Because, appearance wise, I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl, and I certainly do not have the spare capacity to get to the bottom of that matter. The earth fairy raised it's hand, and fired off a small bolt. The tiny bolt struck the ground, and instantly, a tall birch tree pushed out of the ground surface, standing proudly. "That's your magic?" [Un!] Nature Magic...That has got to be the magic that's most incompatible with my fighting style, ever. It's got none of the destructive strength of Fire, the support capability of Water, or even the swiftness of Air. Teamwork possibility is practically zero, and forget any tag-assaults---How do I punch something that's been trapped in plants? No upsides, only downsides...If I bring her along, it's equivalent to lugging along a heavy piece of rock around while trying to keep up with an enemy under high speeds. The enthusiasm is certainly there, but there's nothing to back it up. ...Well, where's the harm? I've been wondering if my skills are adaptive enough to play the role of a bodyguard. Also, this earth fairy is immortal. Having an extra shield in case of emergency certainly won't hurt. "Fine. Don't blame me if you get hurt. Also..." I picked up the earth fairy, and slung it over my shoulder. "Get your magic ready. The tutorial boss is here." *MOOOO!* While we were busy conversing, it seemed like the Dungeon Master took note of our presence. There was a horde of monsters---Hurray, more skeletons---and what seemed to be a skeletal Minotaur. What's the deal with skeletons? Do they have a sale on bones or something? Well, they are rather weak, especially against my fists, but now that something is leading the horde, it's a different matter. If the group I encountered earlier was the patrol group, then they definitely know that I'm here. "Forge according to my will. Create, Astras EX." The familiar golden hammer appeared in my hands once again. Except, this time, there was no feeling of hostility that the hammer emitted towards me. "No wonder Hotori was so strong when she wielded this. This hammer is perfectly balanced." Deadly in terms of bludgeoning power, without suffering any penalties to the weight. Not unlike the old Amaterasu. "Here I come. Look away, and you'll never see again! Star Crusher!" Spoiler: Chapter 75: Seals Okay, that's enough shenanigans for today. Astras was so light, I ended up nearly clobbering the earth fairy more than six times. Apparently swinging a hammer around recklessly, like the way they did it in the movies, did not work in real life. So much for spinning it around in circles...Hammers, out. Using them are way too much of a hassle. *Moooo...* *Crunch* For a minotaur to be put down like a mere dog...Even the strongest of us will fall one day. Nothing is truly omnipotent. Immortality has it's limits as well. "To have truly existed, one must leave behind a long-lasting legacy...That is a big, fat lie. No matter how glorious your descendents are, your own deeds will someday be washed away by the rivers of time. Nothing will last forever; the Library is no exception. Despite knowing that perfectly well, I have personally concluded that the challenge of doing so---of leaving behind a mark---is certainly worthwhile." [Book? Inside?] Yeah, I was reading from the biography of some dead guy. Sue me. What, you thought I wrote that out myself? Oh hell, no. I'm not a philosopher; giving out advice was never my strong suit. My bluntness is one of the main reasons, or so I've been told. Which reminds me, why am I even reading this again? "You, take this." I didn't have any use for it, so I shoved the research journal to the earth fairy. It was my version of a 'participation award'. You know, the kind that people get when they participate in an event, not because they did something amazing, or because they won. Just because they were, literally speaking, there. Also, more Necromancy Relics. Hurrah. "Let's get moving. Staying here makes me feel old." I'll keep it a secret that long-term exposure to Black Magic could, indeed, make people age quickly. ...... [Reached.] "I see." Actually, I didn't. We weren't in front of the castle. Completely nowhere near it, to be precise. If one were to take the place where the we clashed with the skeletal minotaur, the castle would have been a few kilometres east. We went a few kilometres north-west instead. Had the surroundings not been mostly plains, right now, I wouldn't have been able to even see the castle. "So...what are we doing here?" There was nothing of note around us. We were, not to put too fine of a point on it, literally in the middle of nowhere. [Need items. Fight.] "What kind of items? Do you know how to defeat whatever guards that castle?" I know that it's a Dungeon Master, thanks to Rufilia's expert information gathering, but having all of one's cards on the table is rather unwise. The more aces-in-the-hole I have, the better. [Yes. Seals.] Seals? |Say, Rufi. You've been listening, right?| |Yes. Is there anything wrong?| |Regarding the Dungeon Master...does he happen to be an anthropomorphic sea mammal with flippers and a tail?| |Flippers and a ta---What rubbish are you sprouting?| |Tch.| She didn't get the joke. |I can guess what you're thinking, but no! When she said seals, she meant those magical arrays that were meant to imprison criminals and the like, not the sea mammal kind!| |Fine, fine, Miss Wood. I'm shutting off the telepathy, goodbye~| |Oi! What does that mea---| *Click* "So, what were you talking about again? Do you have some way of sealing that 'thing'?" I've been told who lorded over that black iron citadel. And I'm pretty confident about winning, but it never hurt to weaken the enemy further. [Yes. Using this.] The earth fairy reached into the earth---no, saying that it sunk into the earth would be more accurate. It's bottom half disappeared into the ground, and then it proceeded to stoop down, further lowering it's profile. When it surfaced again, after some time, there was a weirdly-shaped blade in it's left hand. [Strike. Castle basement.] Sometimes, I'm really thankful for having talked to young children regularly. Otherwise, I would have never understood what the earth fairy was saying, most of the time. "So, I have to use this in the basement of the castle? In order to activate the seal?" A nod of the head. "If you had this, couldn't you have directly tunnelled underground with your Earth Magic, and sealed him easily?" [No good. Wards.] Tch. Talk about some convenient plot armour. "Are you sure this works?" Pardon my cynicism, but nine times out of ten, something meant to be used in the sealing of a powerful entity usually ends up failing, or being destroyed, at the exact moment that it is needed. If possible, I'll rather like to not be associated with an epic failure. [Given by Master. Will work.] "Master? Who is this Master you speak of?" [......] "Might your Master have been the previous Administrator of Nature?" [!!!] Called it. Hurrah to me for reading too much third-rate novel plots in my spare time; knew that it would pay off someday. "In that case, I shall not ask further. However, do you have a way for me to get into the castle?" [......] Oh well. It seems like it's all up to me again, like usual. "Well, I'll be going right now. You coming along?" [Yes. Da---] "Dangerous to go alone, I know. Let's stop dilly-dallying and set off now, or we won't be entering the castle gates until tomorrow afternoon." I picked up the earth fairy, and slung it over my shoulder again. "Activate, |Streamline|." Running is a healthy way to get to another place, but doing so in a large plain? In the middle of the night? That's asking to get spotted immediately. "When the moon is full, it's time to hunt. Let the creatures of the night walk unseen once more, until the rays of dawn dyes the skies vermillion. |Hunter's Moon|." [Huh? Cannot see?] I forgot that the earth fairy isn't a creature of the night; This spell won't work on it. Uhhh... "You can travel underground, right?" [Yes?] "Good. Meet me at the castle gates, then. It's a race." It nodded it's head, and disappeared into the ground. I could see a dirt trail start moving, in the direction...away from the castle. "Oi, wrong direction, idiot. Turn 50 degrees to your right." The dirt trail stopped, and then resumed, heading in the right direction this time. Well, all matters aside, that fairy is actually quite fast. Taking into account that I'll need to break through the defences on the way, this could be quite a close shave---Wait, I think there's a group of skeletal defenders right over there, actually. "No time to waste. It's on, then. |Streamline|!" Spoiler: Chapter 76: Property Destruction In ancient times, the optimal method of attacking a tightly-defended castle, would be to surround it on all sides, and starve the defenders into surrendering. It's a tried-and-tested, idiot-proof method to bring down any fortress. A siege. Of course, there's a really obvious flaw in that method. A chink in the armour, one could say. The lack of numbers. Too few attackers, and the siege will fail; if there's a failure in communication, the defenders could break out of the siege by charging a particular spot. After all, surrounding a fortress means that the attacking force will be, inevitably, split up into smaller groups. Uneven arrangement of troops? Inability to adapt and improvise? Failure to send signals to ally troops instantly? Those factors are all siege-killers. I mean, the phrase "Break through from the front." had to have originated somewhere. And right now, that advice isn't working so well. "Fire, fire, fire! Blow those walls down!" *BOOM!* This whole situation...is...uh, rather unique, I suppose. The dwarves were only part of the issue. A Few Hours Earlier "I win." [No fair.] *Pat pat* "Nothing's fair in life, little one. You have to fight for your own things." For a change of pace, I played around with Modification a slight bit. Tweaked a couple of spells from the Wind Magic section......And blew a gaping hole into the entrance. I swear, unleashing a tornado horizontally at the castle gates was entire coincidental; it definitely wasn't because I wanted to try improving my piercing power, by wrapping my fists in a hurricane. Not at all. Don't judge me! Having a small tornado spinning around your right fist is perfectly acceptable, okay! It's definitely not because I'm childish or anything like that... *Ahem!* "Anyway, we should get going. The entrance is already opened, so let's proceed." [Wait up.] Huh? What now? "Do you have to use the washroom, by any chance?" [If we don't destroy the outer walls, the Core will be harder to destroy.] ...Nani? Why do I not know of this? |Oi, Rufi! Is it true that destroying the outer walls will make the Core more vulnerable?| |Yeah, it does, Mika. Why?| ...... |Don't "Why?" me. You didn't even mention that this would happen; it's your fault.| |Eh? But I thought it was common sense for anyone who's had basic understanding of magi---Owwwww!| Telekinesis worked. Experiment: Great Success. |Rufi, when was the last time common sense applied to me?| |Owwwwie! My cheeks! They aren't made of rubber!| |Honestly, about these kind of things, tell me next time. Seriously, I don't want another experience like the one with Amaterasu.| |I told you everything I knew about the Dungeon Cores! You just fell asleep halfway through!| Oh...Uh. Whoops? |I did?| When in trouble, denial is a great friend. Let's leave it at that. |Of course you did! You have a track record of doing such things! You slept through my lectures regarding Dungeons, Magic, Mana, Vampires, Immortality...and a lot more.| |Oioi, don't expose all of that! People will find out how lazy I am if you keep selling me out! And if that happens, I'll actually have to do work!| |Too late! It's out there for everyone to see! In fact, I should tell them about your tendency to dump all the work on me, your unparalleled ability to slack off, and---| |Uh, I just realised that I have matters to attend to, so I'm hanging up! See you in the Library later!| *Beep* That was too close, whew; almost got sold out completely. As for what Rufilia managed to say just now...uh, ignore all of that, okay? Pretend nothing happened! I definitely am not thinking of hunting down anyone who dares to make me do work, okay. I promise. The fact that I have Astras out right now is entirely coincidental. [Finished?] Now that I think about it, we have been standing here for quite some time already. Right smack in front of the castle gates, surrounded by wreckage, just blankly staring into space. Like a pair of clowns. "Uh, yeah. Let's proceed with destroying the outer walls." With a hammer, this should work out easily. No substitute for a wrecking ball, but Astras has that skill which spreads the shock through the struck target. *Boing* The hammer strike handed, and...didn't crack the stone bricks. It bounced off, with a sensation of hitting jelly. "Huh?" Just to check, I gave it a few more strikes. Every single one bounced off, not leaving so much as a scratch on the walls. [Physical attacks don't work. Only magic.] ...This is why haste makes waste, I suppose. I should fix my habit of charging ahead too quickly. I mean, Pugilist is a fighter class, but I'm sure it's no Berserker...right? Right? "That's going to be annoying. I'll run out of mana before we finish destroying the walls, and I really doubt that the enemy is going to stand here while we tear apart his castle." I mean, I could hear the clanking of armour as a troop of something rushed down the main entrance, heading for us. [Called for reinforcements. Help destroy walls.] So now it's a Survival mission? Last until reinforcements get here? Seems fine. After all, I've never actually done one of those, incorporated into real life. ...... So now you know. Why there was a group of trigger-happy dwarven gunners beside me, firing madly at the walls. The worst part? Between the beer, the mead and the nonsensical singing, they're actually succeeding in cracking the walls. *Rumble* And so, the last wall falls, with no thanks to me. Yep, I did nothing except killing off the defenders, casting shields to protect the dwarves, preventing any sneak attacks, and the like. In fact, I did soooooo little, it scares me. "Confound whoever invented the notion of working; it kills off happiness and does nothing to provide satisfaction. I want a refund for my effort." The fact that I'm sighing more and more these days worry me quite a lot. Spoiler: Chapter 77: Weirdo Expedition The castle walls collapsed to reveal a not-so-shocking fact: That there was another set of inner walls blocking entry to the Core. And there was a few dozen dwarf statues behind me. "Well, I suppose it's time to see what this Dungeon has to offer." The earth fairy nodded, and followed me inside the inner parts of the Dungeon......That sounded extremely wrong. I swear, I'm not into minors. "Woah. It's dark in here." Someone sure skimped on the illumination costs. It's not good, you know; my knees are expert finders of furniture in the darkness, but repeated successes at finding them tend to make them sore. "Thankfully I have Night Vision activat---Oof!" Next startling discovery I made: Night Vision did not work in the darkness. Also, tin cans were slippery. *Bam!* Well, that goes to show the superiority of animals, I suppose. Eagles can spot prey from over kilometres away, and I just tripped over something right in front of me. The Fenrir in me is ashamed. [Need light?] "Yeah...That would be great...If you would, please." Light: 1, Mika: 0. Grrrrrr. Then someone illuminated the room, and several somethings happened in short order. Someone screamed. Something screamed. Someone screamed again. Then several somethings hit the floor with loud 'thuds'. Light: 1, Mika: 1. Heck yeah. We can therefore conclude that too much light is bad for one's health, as well. The fact that there were bisected corpses of monstrous bats on the castle floor, however, has nothing to do with my prior argument. Light is bad. Bats are good. End of argument, case closed. "Let's see. If we go by the typical dungeon crawling experience, the room at the end of this hall will be..." *Creaaaak* "......NOT a Maze! Oi, Dungeon Master, you're ruining the template for dungeon diving! Change the layout of this castle immediately, dammit!" [???] Ah, I forgot that video games don't exist in this world. It's denizens wouldn't understand game troupes. My bad. Don't change the fact, however, that this sudden deviation from the expected plotline upsets me more than it should. "Let's get going." ...... *BOOM* Oioi, what kind of idiot places Armour-Piercing ballistae everywhere? The last turn ought to have been the right one. I'm not sure which idiot said that before, but copyright laws don't exist in fantasy worlds, so I'll be making full use of it. Huh? Figure out the trajectory and avoid those, you say? Use magic to block out the bolts? Or just dodge? Do you know how fast a ballista bolt can fire? What's more, because we're in a Labyrinth of all things, there's no way for me to use Streamline. The sadist who designed this maze also made the bolts Magic Nullifying, so any half-assed magic shield isn't going to cut it. I could use Storm Magic to knock away the bolts, but again, basic safety precautions should dictate not to unleash a tempest in a tightly-enclosed area. For all I know, we'll all end up 6 feet under if I used it. And let's face it. Using cheat magic to solve every situation is boring. It's true that self-preservation is important, but using a single spell---much like what I did back in Ferunia---is just too underwhelming. Because of the unintentional spars (death matches) with Hotori, I daresay my level of combat awareness is already quite on point, but there certainly is no harm training it more. After all... These kind of things are how I get my kicks. Even I don't slack off sometimes. "Like the good ol' days, let's use a parchment roll, record things down, and explore all the possible ways! That's how adventurers do things!" Which reminds me, I should go to some world and check if there are any Adventurer's Guilds there. Being a part-time Adventurer sounds fun--- "Woah!" ---But for now, I guess we focus on getting the material, because a hunter that goes after two rabbits won't catch either. ...... "Whew. That was crazy." [You're crazier.] "Now, now, don't get sulky because of some extreme methods I had to employ." [First time seeing someone take a ballista bolt head on. Mentally unsound.] "Ahaha......" Heads up, I'm not insane. I just remembered that my Parrying Proficiency was still relatively on the low side, because I had neglected to train that daily. To be fair, there weren't many opportunities for me to train parrying. Much like how one would carry out a physical training regiment. Repeatedly doing the same type of exercise---like weightlifting---will lose efficiency over time. See, the whole point of training is to use effort to extend your limits. If one was already very strong, doing a few more sit-ups won't make him any stronger. There's a level bar that makes it more and more difficult. For the people who didn't understand what I was talking about, if you've played those gacha-based games, you'll understand. A unit needs an increasingly proportionate amount of EXP to reach the next level; one needs to undergo increasingly challenging training to get stronger. Therefore, standing in front of a ballista waiting to parry the bolts...that should be quite acceptable, right? After all, the speed of the bolts are sufficiently fast enough to train reflex speed---wait, I should be practicing parrying, not dodging. *Ahem* On the other hand, loot-wise... "The Dungeon Master? Hah! More like Dungeon Miser. There wasn't a single treasure chest inside there. He could have at least placed some treasure-chest mimics in, but no." We actually found the exit within 30 minutes of exploration, but there wasn't a single chest on the way. Therefore, I had left a magical insignia at the exit, and we headed back inside, looking for treasure. It took about 3 hours of exploration, before I finally cheated and used magic to map out the whole area. To find out that there wasn't any treasure chests inside the Labyrinth at all. That we had wasted our time. It's highly debatable whether this Dungeon Master even has the item I'm looking for. I mean, if he had enough money, I reckon he would have renovated the place long ago. Even the pointless statues placed along the hallways; no, especially the pointless statues placed along the hallways. "Say, how did the Dungeon Master overpower you again? This interior décor...He doesn't seem to be too bright." [......Got stuck in a trap.] Correction: This earth fairy is even less brighter than the DM we're allegedly going to face. Forgive me for even thinking of relying on her. Well, we're here at the doors, so there's no turning back. To arms! Spoiler: Chapter 78: Blame Game The door opened to a golden room. Everything was made of gold. From the largest walls to the smallest bunny...Wait, a golden bunny? "Well done on making it this far, intruders." At the other end of the room was a golden throne. On it reclined a youth with---oh, as expected---golden hair. His irises were golden. His clothes were golden. His accessories were golden. The only thing not golden about him was his skin. "Welcome to my golden domain." Correction: His personality wasn't that much golden, either. "You know, you shouldn't start sprouting lines like a typical Midgame Boss. That might jinx you." "And you shouldn't just casually sprout a bunch of in-game terms, because this world isn't a gam---Huh?!" "What's the matter---Huh?" He was going to finish saying "Because this world isn't a game", wasn't he? Also, he reacted to my remark about being a [Midgame Boss]. I arrived at the only plausible conclusion, and judging from his expression, it seems that both of us realised the same thing. That the other had knowledge of the modern world. "Wait a minute. Wait wait wait wait. Who first said: If it can go wrong, it will go wrong?" That's M○rp○y's L○w, isn't it? "A certain pilot with way too much time and too loose a mouth. What is ice cream?" "A heavenly treat that melts too quickly for one to enjoy it properly. What's the general term for [J○p○nese animation]?" "That's anime. Who invented the saying: Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes?" "That's from World War Two! My understanding of History isn't that good, you know?" Then... "Bwahahahaha!" We both cracked up, and busted out laughing. ...... "Haha...To think I'll meet someone who reincarnated just like I did!" The Dungeon Master, who introduced himself as Henry, had taken out 2 golden chairs, a golden dining table, golden tableware, and golden food. "That was a pleasant surprise. I mean, even if you count in the fact that many people reincarnate every day, meeting another reincarnated person is a one-in-a-million chance." Although, is this food safe to eat? It's made of solid gold, you know? Gold may be one of the softer metals, but it isn't at the point where it could be used as a pillow, much less as a snack. "Well, don't mind it's appearance! This tastes and acts just like regular food. The reason it's gold was because of my reincarnation cheat." "Reincarnation cheat?" "Huh? Didn't you get one too? After I died, some self-proclaimed god apologized for making a mistake, and offered me a cheat ability. I picked this one, because it was a great ability for fighting and for making a living, you see." As if to prove his point, he picked up a regular metal fork, and it became golden. "Cool, right?" "I see...The king who prayed for all that he touched to become gold, King Midas. You picked his Golden Touch." The more important thing here is the fact that he's an idiot. Prideful, with a touch of likeability, but a moron nonetheless. I mean, who would tell an acquaintance, a stranger at that, the exact workings of their abilities? The fact is that he is completely sincere about it, which makes the whole thing even more of a headache. As the saying goes, one shouldn't try to take advantage of others, but one should also be wary against being taken advantage of. This guy doesn't have any wariness at all...Should I use that to my own benefit? It can't hurt to try, right? "Say, Henry?" ...... It went more smoothly than I expected. "Oh, you were looking for this lump of metal? Take it, ahaha! It isn't golden, so I have no use for it!" Oi oi, don't give out things based on that judgement...is what I'll like to have said, but since it was offered to me for free, then why not, right? Only fools would deny something that's given with no strings attached. Whether it's a saint blade or a sinner's steel, as long as it is a weapon, it can be used. The same goes for a lump of Rubiconium. If one can use it, one should use it. Dying from an attack, when there's a blade nearby is idiotic. Even if said blade happens to be of the opposing alignment---no, especially when it's of the opposite alignment; it's kill or be killed out here. That's why one must never stop growing stronger. Which reminds me, that's a paradox in itself. To survive, one must become strong, but when one reaches the top, there are plenty of people eyeing them, waiting for an opportunity to eliminate them. Strength begets unwanted attention, which begets the need to grow stronger, and so on. Thinking like that, strength would be an undesirable thing, yet it is necessary in order to live freely...it's a never-ending vicious cycle. "And so, I suppose I shall be bidding farewell to you here." [Likewise.] It had been a false alarm, after all. Henry was one of those people that never left their homes---or dungeon, in this case---no matter the time of year. I guess he would classify as a true hikikomori? Anyway, Henry had been unaware of the issues that had been caused by the presence of his dungeon. Mostly because: "I was busy turning the inside of this room to pure gold. The abilities take time to activate, you see. Especially the larger pieces, I can take up to a day to fully turn it into solid gold." Why are you telling me this...? Anyway, because he was busy with the interior decoration of his throne room, he apparently fiddled around with the exterior defence system. Which also explained why there were no additional summoned monsters in the Labyrinth. And for the undead that had been roaming the lands? "Uh, I think I beat a necromancer into submission a while back? Taking care of the defences was boring, so I left it all to him." "At least spare the time to check on your own defence system, dammit. It's the only thing that stops invaders from directly charging into your base..." <------ (Has never checked the Library Defences closely before either) *Ahem* "...And don't be so free-spirited. Pay more attention to your own matters, or you might get the rug pulled out from under you someday." <------ (Was behaving in the exact manner up until then, and probably still will be) *Ahem* Why am I carrying out a boke-tsukkomi act by myself? Spoiler: Chapter 79: Administrator Trouble After all that mess in the other world, I... ...Didn't get to leave! [Need help again.] No! I want to return to the comfort of the Library! For now, I tried to explain. "I need to hurry back, in order to forge this into a pair of gauntl---" [They, can do that. Masters.] The Earth Fairy was tugging at my sleeves as she pointed at the dwarves. "No, but seriously, I need to---" "Hmm? You need somethin' forged? We'll do that for ya, lass! Think of it as thanks for settling the issue!" No, don't you join into the conversation! Go back to chugging your beer! You know, if this was like usual, I would already have knocked out all of them, and then hightailed it out of there. Alas, a single System Generated Message ruined that for me. [Your relationship with the Dwarf Race has reached 〈Respected〉. Your Administrator Status has undergone a change.] That pretty much summed up the vaguest message in the history of vague messages. What the heck does "a change" mean? It didn't even tell me how much change there was, nor what exactly changed. Still, because of that stupid message, I was informed that, apparently, an entire race viewed me in a favourable light. So if I were to, say, knock out all of them right now, with a slight probability of accidentally killing a few...it's highly doubtable that it'll do wonders for that relationship. Administrator. Godhood, basically. I won't deny that it's a really tempting choice. To achieve immortality, have access to great power, and be granted the power to change the world. "Hey, don't space out! Drinks are on us! Tonight, we aren't going home until everyone is dead drunk!" I tried to put up a semblance of resistance. "If you're dead drunk, how are you going to walk home?" "Those are just small details! When there's booze, the other things go out the window!" ...They aren't listening... [Come with.] "Hey, don't drag me along! I hate drinking in these kinds of circumstances!" Nevertheless, I was brought to the centre of the crowd, anyways. "Oi! Listen up, wimps! Tonight, we're drinking until everyone goes down! Anyone who fails to do so is the disgrace of the Dwarf Race!" "But I'm not from the Dwarf Race, though?...Nobody's listening..." Fine. In that case, I'll just drink them all under the table; Maybe that will win me more respect from the dwarves. Definitely not because my superiority complex is flaring up again. ...... "Ouch." [Drank, too much?] "Obviously...Ugh...I outdrank every single dwarf in this place, you know." |Remove Debuff| It hurts...not. Eh...? It got better? So getting drunk was considered a debuff...That's helpful to know. "So...What did you need help with, again?" Most of the dwarves were dead to the world, leaving me and the earth fairy. And Henry, for some reason. He had taken his golden throne here. "Which reminds me, why are you here? Don't you have work (decorating) to do?" "The work (decorating) can wait. Whenever there's a party, I feel an unstoppable need to attend (crash) it, you know?" Okay, they're all idiots. [Need to replenish nature. Restore what was lost.] It seemed that, due to the excess dark energy wrought by Necromancy Magic, it was rather difficult for the surface to return to normal. "Sounds fun! Let me join in too!" I stared at him. "You were the cause of it all, you know." "Haha! You have a great sense of humour, Mika!" ...Whatever. I looked around, at the large underground cavern, which had been converted to a tavern. The floor was hewn grey stone at some point, but now it was covered in sleeping dwarves. *Sigh* "Do tell. What kind of items do you need?" [Sapling, Life Tree.] There's another item that sounds like it belongs in myths...Henry cut into the conversation. "Life Tree? Like the Tree of Life, Yggdrasil?" "That's from Norse history. I'm guessing it's something else." [Another World.] Oh, I see...What? "Wait, what'd you mean another world? You're telling me I can (only) find one in another world?" [Yes.] "Like hell. If you know it can only be found in another world, then why are you asking me for my help?" It's true that I can travel to other worlds, but that should be kept a secret. [Please?] "It's not the issue of me not wanting to help, but how am I going to get something from another world?" The person I'm the wariest of right now is Henry. If he brings up Space Magic, which he has a high chance of knowing about, due to reincarnating, then I'll be out of excuses. "That...Does Space Magic exist?" "I don't think so. That's in the realm of Divinity, after all." <---(Totally lying) Alright, with this, I should be able to turn down the request...The earth fairy looks somewhat dejected, but I don't care. Until I get back my armaments, there's no time for other stuff. Except slacking, maybe. |Hey, Rufi, how's the Library goin---| |*Boom*| |Rufi? What's going on?| |Nothing much! *BOOM* It's just *BOOM* a friendly match! *BOOM*| That did not, in any remote way, sound friendly at all. |Are you guys using Grandmaster Ranked Magic over there? Even the telepathy is getting disrupted.| |Well, it's kinda complicated here! If you don't have any important matters, I'm hanging up---| |Wait, I found the base material. I need you to forge the gauntlets for me. Also, I need the location of the next one, please.| |Well, *BOOM* there might be a bit of an issue for you to *BOOM* come back right now. The portals are *BOOM* rather unstable. Are there any Blacksmiths where you are? Preferably some Dwarven Blacksmiths?| There's plenty of dwarves here, but I'm not so sure about any of them being blacksmiths. |There are, but the craftsmanship is...questionable at best. Won't that affect the material quality?| |It won't. *BOOM* Rubiconium is special because it's not *BOOM* affected by bad craftsmanship. It's certainly better if *BOOM* the crafter placed lots of passion in the crafting process, but that *BOOM* improvement tends to be negligible, especially when you clash with similar ranked beings. Still, if you're really *BOOM* worried, see if any of them are *BOOM* Grandmaster Rank Blacksmiths.| |Got it......Say, Rufi, are there any worlds with saplings of the Life Tree?| |Wha---How did you *BOOM* know that the next ingredient *BOOM* is a Sapling of the Life Tre---Wait a minute. I'm going to swap locations for a bit.| It took her a while before she turned on the telepathic connection again. |Like I was saying, how did you know that the Sapling of the Life Tree was needed to enhance the gauntlets?| |I didn't.| |You didn't? I see...Wait, huh?| |Huh?| |Huh?| Let's change the topic before we get stuck in an automatic response loop. |So...How many Saplings of the Life Tree are there, exactly?| |Quite a lot, actually. Last I checked, there was about 2 in each world.| She's definitely hiding something. |And? How many of those saplings do I need?| |Um...I think 10 would be a fair number?| Alright. Telekinesis, activate. |Owwwww! Stop pinching my cheeeeeks!|